Struggling to Cope with the Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: How Family Can Help

Over time, some people are able to handle grief and tragedy. While receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis may not be considered the same kind of tragedy as losing a spouse of 50 years, it can still be difficult to accept. When an elderly person, a parent or other family member, has been diagnosed with this type of dementia, there’s a lot that family can do to help.

Alzheimer’s Care in Toms River NJ: Family Support

One of the best things is to offer emotional support.

Let that person know he or she is thought about often. Call to check on him or her. Ask questions. Try to encourage activity. Also, think about long-term care.

Most people will see the earliest signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease as being minor nuisances, something that can be overcome through reminders, for example, but it will become much more challenging. Eventually, family and friends, the primary support system, will begin feeling stress and anxiety, face increasing challenges, and often be overwhelmed by what they experience.

That’s where home care support becomes essential.

Hiring an experienced home care aide through an agency is one of the best decisions families can make when supporting an aging parent, spouse, or other senior who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Unfortunately, not enough families realize the value in experienced home care providers so they don’t begin looking into this until that aging senior is already moving to the middle or even later stages of the disease. That doesn’t allow the elderly person to develop any type of bond or relationship with their caregiver.

Those relationships can be fundamental to comfort.

The longer a person establishes a relationship with somebody, the easier it is to feel comfortable with them. When a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s has difficulty remembering where they are, who the people are surrounding them, it can cause tremendous confusion, stress, and anxiety. That can lead to physical and verbal outbursts and aggressive behaviors.

When a senior is struggling to cope with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or some other serious medical condition, coddling and offering reassurance may not do much to help. Talking about the future, discussing activities that are still important to him or her, and encouraging that senior to reach out and stay connected with the people who matter most in their life is a great start.

Talking about the benefits home care services can offer, not just in the long-term but short-term as well, can be powerful at helping this individual deal with what may feel like a sudden change and tragedy in their own life.

Many Senior In-Home Care services and products are not covered by insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or public assistance. Most individuals and families often need to pay "out-of-pocket" for some or all services requested. Are there other sources of financing available to you, such as Social Security benefits, VA benefits, or Private Funds?*